Brechin 1977 / 28 Year Old

NOSE: A gorgeous, opulent nose, rounded yet still fresh and quite intense, with a little smoke, a light note of rolled oats or ground hazelnut and some fruity sweetness behind - greengages and plums in syrup, with traces of Maraschino cherries and dried tangerine peel, plus (sweeter still) marzipan, coconut and dark chocolate. Adding water brings the fruitiness round to that of pear drops and introduces an intriguing, fatter note behind.The overall impression is savoury - sweet oak with a very faint thread of tobacco smoke.

BODY: Medium.Tongue-coating.

PALATE: Firmly structured with a pleasant, slightly waxy feel and a delicious, dry-fruity flavour. There’s some light sugared almond sweetness at its heart but overall the taste is gently drying, with no acidity; the result tingles on the tongue, being concentrated, balanced and nutty-dry.

FINISH: Crisply grassy and medium to long, with sweet dates and chestnuts lingering on – gently fading as if to recall a dusty box that once contained marrons glacées.